ALONG SHORE 



141 



breaking crest may often be followed by the 

 eye for a long distance down the shore. This 

 side thrust of the waves has one very positive 

 effect. It wears away the shore, and that, 

 too, faster than any direct blow. The side 

 push works in swirls, sand is swept along the 

 beach and gradually dragged into the sea by the 

 under-currents to be carried off and deposited 

 on some near-by shoal or bar, and the tendency 

 is to hollow out the beach-line in half-circles. 

 As a result we have the beautiful sickle-moon 

 curves that mark the sand-beaches on almost 

 every sea-coast. Next to the lines of the snow- 

 drifts, they are as graceful, perhaps, as any- 

 thing the eye may see save always the lines 

 of a flowing river. The best place to see them 

 is from a high cliff, looking down along the 

 shore. The curves of bay and beach will then 

 appear quite perfect. 



The same form of wave-action works similar 

 results upon the rocks of a coast, but with 

 less ease and uniformity. The water, striking 

 full-faced against the rock surfaces, is simply 

 shattered into foam, but coming diagonally 

 it gains cutting power by a rasp and a grind 

 all along the bases. And in this grind the 

 loose stones and bowlders, hurled and rolled 



Wear upon 

 the beach. 



Curves of 



sand- 

 beaches. 



Wave-action 

 on the rocks 



